The artistic work of Kendal Murray manipulates found objects, and harnesses their power as a metaphor.
‘I enjoy combining materials to create surprise, questioning, reflection and recognition,’ Kendal says. ‘I like how curiosity and empathy can be communicated through materials and techniques in sculptural artwork, creating narrative and instigating conversation.’
The foundation of these miniature worlds began with Kendal’s collection of compacts, and research into identity and fantasy.
‘I was intrigued by the power of a miniature scene… to entice you into the narrative space,’ she recalls. ‘You are granted only wishful access as you peek into the scene, holding the miniature world in your hand.’
Starting with a compact, or more recently, vintage child-size tea sets, Kendal assembles each scene with figurines (refined and repainted model train figures), pebbles, clay birds, and custom trees.
‘The foundational structure must be stable and strong so that the layers of landscaping, people, animals, and birds can be added’ she says.
Edges of saucers act as roads or paths, and cups that hold vegetation, rocks, and water pools stand in for hills.
‘They are very complex and include multiple scenes and many miniature trees to create the landscaping,’ she says. ‘The painting process I use takes a minimum of five coats of paint.’
Kendal’s upcoming exhibition, Vivid Dreams, Evergreen is inspired by the space between dream and memory, play and identity, and stories of creative imaginings inspired by places in the natural world.
Kendal hopes the viewer is delighted by these sculptures and is invited to recall fond memories of childhood events.
‘They are the places that awakened our senses to the pleasures of nature and promised adventure, with trees that reached into the sky and beckoned us to climb,’ she says.
‘In these places, we could jump into enormous piles of coloured leaves or the deepest of puddles, play hide and seek in lush textured ferns and build cubby houses with sticks and stones. Places where we could collect specimens, discover insects, investigate their intriguing habitats and let our imagination flow.’
Vivid Dreams, Evergreen — featuring 25 new artworks created by Kendal over 18 months — opens this Thursday with Arthouse Gallery showing at Melbourne Art Fair.
Vivid Dreams, Evergreen
Arthouse Gallery at Melbourne Art Fair
Booth C7 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
Thursday February 20-Sunday February 23
